Learn what kind of trees can soak up extra water and help ease flooding in drain-challenged areas around Philly

Trees for wet or soggy areas. Wet soil have low amounts of air spaces, which results in low oxygen levels. Some deciduous trees that are good for wet soils or areas with poor drainage in Philadelphia include:

[ tree name – Scientific name]


Deciduous Trees in Philadelphia

  • American sycamore – Platanus occidentalis
  • American elm – Ulmus americana
  • American hornbeam – Carpinus caroliniana
  • Bald cypress – Taxodium distichum
  • Box elder – Acer negundo
  • Cherrybark oak – Quercus falcata
  • Common alder – Alnus glutinosa
  • Common hackberry – Celtis occidentalis
  • Dawn redwood – Metasequoia glyptostroboides
  • Deciduous hollies – Ilex decidua, I. verticillata
  • Downy serviceberry – Amelanchier arborea
  • Eastern cottonwood – Populus deltoides
  • Fringetree – Chionanthus virginicus
  • Green ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica
  • London planetree – Platanus x acerifolia
  • Northern catalpa – Catalpa speciosa
  • Paulownia – Paulownia tomentosa
  • Pecan – Carya illinoensis
  • Persimmon – Diospyros virginiana
  • Pin oak – Quercus palustris
  • Red maple – Acer rubrum
  • River birch – Betula nigra
  • Shadblow serviceberry – Amelanchier canadensis
  • Silver maple – Acer saccharinum
  • Swamp chestnut oak – Quercus bicolor
  • Sweetbay magnolia – Magnolia virginiana
  • Sweetgum – Liquidambar styraciflua
  • Thornless honeylocust – Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
  • Tulip tree – Liriodendron tulipifera
  • Water oak – Quercus nigra
  • Water tupelo – Nyssa aquatica
  • Weeping willow – Salix babylonica
  • White weeping willow – Salix alba
  • Willow oak – Quercus phellos